Tommasi Alexia, Koziel Jacek A, Molotsi Annelin H, Esposito Giulia
Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Nov 3;11(11):3140. doi: 10.3390/ani11113140.
The cheetah species ) is currently listed as vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Captive breeding has long since been used as a method of conservation of the species, with the aim to produce a healthy, strong population of cheetahs with an increased genetic variety when compared to their wild counterparts. This would then increase the likelihood of survivability once released into protected areas. Unfortunately, breeding females have been reported to be difficult due to the age of these animals. Older females are less fertile, have more difficult parturition, and are susceptible to asymmetric reproductive aging whereas younger females tend to show a significantly lower frequency of mating behaviour than that of older females, which negatively affects breeding introductions, and therefore mating. Nonetheless, the experience from breeding methods used in some breeding centres in South Africa and the Netherlands, which also rely on the role that semiochemicals play in breeding, proves that cheetahs can be bred successfully in captivity. This review aims to give the reader an in-depth overview of cheetahs' reproductive physiology and behaviour, focusing on the role that pheromones play in this species. Furthermore, it aims to provide new insight into the use of semiochemicals to improve conservation strategies through captive breeding.
根据国际自然保护联盟（IUCN）的标准，猎豹目前被列为易危物种。长期以来，圈养繁殖一直被用作保护该物种的一种方法，目的是培育出健康、强壮的猎豹种群，与野生猎豹相比，其基因多样性有所增加。这样一来，放归保护区后其生存的可能性就会增加。不幸的是，据报道，由于这些动物的年龄问题，雌性猎豹繁殖困难。年龄较大的雌性生育能力较低，分娩更困难，且易出现不对称的生殖衰老，而年轻雌性的交配行为频率往往明显低于年龄较大的雌性，这对繁殖配对产生负面影响，进而影响交配。尽管如此，南非和荷兰一些繁殖中心采用的繁殖方法（这些方法也依赖于信息化学物质在繁殖中的作用）的经验证明，猎豹可以在圈养环境中成功繁殖。本综述旨在让读者深入了解猎豹的生殖生理和行为，重点关注信息素在该物种中的作用。此外，其目的是为通过圈养繁殖利用信息化学物质改进保护策略提供新的见解。
